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UW1020 Exemptions

All entering freshmen and transfer students are required to take UW1020, a four credit course. Students can take it in either the fall or the spring semester. Neither AP, IB, nor any other test will exempt a student from UW1020.

Transfer Students

Most freshman composition courses offered by other colleges will not satisfy UW1020. If you took a writing course at another institution but Admissions did not transfer it in as satisfying UW1020, compare the work you did in your previous writing course to UW1020, paying particular attention to the requirements. If you believe your previous course had similarly stringent requirements–-especially in regards to research and developing an original, scholarly thesis--then you may complete the exemption request form on the UWP website and provide the required documentation so UWP can determine whether or not you are eligible.

Applying for Exemption

To apply for an exemption for UW 1020, fill out theExemption Request Form and include all materials in the checklist order:

A completed UWP Exemption Request Form, which will act as the cover page to your petition packet;

A written personal statement detailing the reasons behind your appeal. In your statement, you must acknowledge your plans to enroll in (and complete) any outstanding GW degree requirements, if your petition is denied;

A copy of your Unofficial GW Transcriptor a copy of the Transfer Credit Worksheet (if you are a transfer student)

​A copy of the Syllabus that includes a Calendar of Assignments, detailing thow assignments are staged and prompted on the semester calendar

A research-based writing sample from the petitioned course, which must include a works-cited page (i.e. bibliography)

No applications will be considered unless all of the required documents are present.